Peace on Earth

Intro

Merry Christmas!

We leave in a Fear Driven world. Fear Sells. That’s a fact and we become hooked on it if we aren’t care. Anxiety has risen astronomically in the last 2 years.

Isaiah 9:6 ESV

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

A prince of peace? That doesn’t seem to be the case for most of us. Things come up and life gets crazy and most of the time peace seems to fly out the door.

My friends today God is offering you and I a peace that is not base on where we are but on who He is.

Why is He offering you and I this peace? It so we can go and live life our way and have our minds at rest? Is it so that we can feel great at Christmas? No God brings you and I peace so that we can carry it to the hurting world.

There is divine purpose in the Peace of God. It not so so you and I can where it like a badge but so that we can help heal this fear driven world. We see in the story of Mary and Joseph that there is purpose in the Peace that God brings!

WE see 3 Things in their Story that illuminate the Purpose of Peace

The Peace of Christ serves as a call to Hope

His Peace will serve as a seal on your heart.

Luke 1:26–33 NIV

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

The Peace of Christ is a call to Faith

Matthew 1:20–21 NIV

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

You can Trust the Word of God

Joseph Fear Not. Your wife has heard from Me.

Do not fear to take her. It is my plan.

You see Joseph was an upstanding guy. He loved Mary. Honored her, and treasured her. WHen He found out she was pregnant. He was heartbroken, at the thought of betrayal. Here is his beautiful 16 year old wife coming ranting about an angel and pregnancy.

What is Joseph to Think? It’s ludicrous. Insane that God would chose Mary.

The Peace of Christ is a call to be Light in the darkness

Matthew 1:21 NIV

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Luke 1:32–33 NIV

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”